WAC 458-20-145
Local sales and use tax. (1)
Introduction. Effective July 1, 2008, Washington implements
new rules governing how local retail sales taxes are sourced
within Washington. See RCW 82.32.730 and 82.14.490. These
rules govern where the local retail sales tax attributable to
the sale of tangible personal property, retail services,
extended warranties, and the lease of tangible personal
property is sourced.
"Source," "sourced," or "sourcing" refer to the location
(as in a local taxing district, jurisdiction, or authority)
where a sale or lease is deemed to occur and is subject to
retail sales tax. The department assigns location codes to
identify the specific taxing locations that receive the local
taxes. These location codes are used on tax returns to
accurately identify the correct taxing location and tax rate.
Sellers and their agents are responsible for determining
the appropriate tax rate for all their retail sales taxable in
Washington. Sellers and their agents are also responsible for
collecting from their purchasers the correct amount of tax due
upon each sale and remitting that tax to the department.
Throughout this section the department provides a number
of examples that identify facts and then state a conclusion.
These examples should be used only as a general guide. The
tax results of other situations must be determined separately
after a review of all of the facts and circumstances.
This section is divided into four subsections.
Subsection (1) contains this introduction, a description of
department resources available to assist taxpayers in
performing local sales tax sourcing, and certain key terms.
Subsection (2) describes Washington's sourcing rules that
become effective July 1, 2008. Subsection (3) provides
information relating to the sourcing of telecommunication
services. Finally, subsection (4) briefly explains
Washington's use tax rule.
(a) What resources does the department offer to help
sellers determine their local retail sales tax sourcing? The
department offers a number of resources to assist taxpayers in
sourcing retail sales. These resources include:
(i) The "Local Sales & Use Tax Flyer." This publication
is updated every quarter and is mailed to select taxpayers
reporting on paper returns. It is also available online on
the department's web site at www.dor.wa.gov under "get a form
or publication." It provides a listing of all local taxing
jurisdictions, location codes, and their corresponding tax
rates.
(ii) The online sales and use tax rate look up
application (GIS). This is an online application that
provides current and past sales and use tax rates and location
codes based on an address or a selected location on a map. It
also allows users to download data that they can incorporate
into their own systems to retrieve the proper tax rate for a
specific address.
(iii) Taxing jurisdiction maps. The department has a
selection of maps of various taxing jurisdictions that
identify the boundaries of a specific taxing jurisdiction.
(b) Of what key terms should I be aware when reading this
section?
(i) "Receipt" and "receive" mean taking possession of
tangible personal property and making first use of services.
"Receive" and "receipt" do not include possession by a
shipping company on behalf of the purchaser. See RCW 82.32.730 (8)(d).
(ii) "Retail sale" has the same meaning as provided in
RCW 82.04.050 and includes the following three types of retail
sales: Sales and leases of tangible personal property; sales
of retail services; and sales of extended warranties.
(iii) "Retail service" means those services described in
RCW 82.04.050 as retail sales. This definition includes
retail sales of labor and services rendered with respect to
tangible personal property.
The following is a nonexclusive list of retail services,
many of which are addressed in detail in other rules adopted
by the department:
• Constructing, remodeling, or painting buildings (e.g.,
see WAC 458-20-170);
• Land clearing and earth moving (e.g., see WAC 458-20-172);
• Landscape maintenance and horticultural services (e.g.,
see WAC 458-20-226);
• Repairing or cleaning equipment (e.g., see WAC 458-20-173);
• Lodging provided by hotels and motels (e.g., see WAC 458-20-166);
• Amusement and recreation services such as golf,
bowling, swimming, and tennis (e.g., see WAC 458-20-183);
• Physical fitness services such as exercise classes,
personal trainer services, and the use of exercise equipment
(e.g., see WAC 458-20-183); and
• Abstract, title insurance, or escrow services (e.g.,
see WAC 458-20-156).
(iv) "Tangible personal property" means property that can
be seen, weighed, measured, felt, or touched, or that is in
any other manner perceptible to the senses and includes
prewritten software. See RCW 82.08.010(7), 82.08.950, and82.12.950
for more information.
(v) "Extended warranty" is an agreement for a specified
duration to perform the replacement or repair of tangible
personal property at no additional charge or a reduced charge
for tangible personal property, labor, or both, or to provide
indemnification for the replacement or repair of tangible
personal property, based on the occurrence of specified
events. The term "extended warranty" does not include an
agreement, otherwise meeting the definition of extended
warranty in this subsection, if no separate charge is made for
the agreement and the value of the agreement is included in
the sales price of the tangible personal property covered by
the agreement. See RCW 82.04.050(7).
(vi) "Motor vehicle" generally means every vehicle that
is self-propelled and every vehicle that is propelled by
electric power obtained from overhead trolley wires, but not
operated upon rails. Motor vehicles are vehicles capable of
being moved upon public ways. "Motor vehicle" includes a
neighborhood electric vehicle as defined in RCW 46.04.357.
"Motor vehicle" includes a medium-speed electric vehicle as
defined in RCW 46.04.295. An electric personal assistive
mobility device is not considered a motor vehicle. A power
wheelchair is not considered a motor vehicle. For more
information see RCW 46.04.320 "Motor vehicle" and RCW 46.04.670 "Vehicle."
(vii) "Primary property location" is the property's
physical address as provided by the lessee and kept in the
lessor's records maintained in the ordinary course of
business, provided use of this address does not constitute bad
faith. The primary property location will not change merely
by intermittent use of the leased property in different local
jurisdictions, e.g., use of leased business property on
business trips or service calls to multiple jurisdictions.
(viii) "Transportation equipment" refers to:
(A) Locomotives and railcars used to carry people or
property in interstate commerce; and
(B) Trucks and truck tractors with gross vehicle weight
ratings of 10,000 pounds or greater, trailers, and
semi-trailers, or passenger buses registered through an
international registration plan and operated under authority
of a carrier authorized and certificated by the U.S.
Department of Transportation (or other federal authority) to
engage in carrying people or property in interstate commerce
(International Registration Plan is a reciprocity agreement
among states of the United States and provinces of Canada
providing for payment of license fees on the basis of total
distance operated in all jurisdictions); and
(C) Aircraft operated by air carriers authorized and
certificated by the U.S. Department of Transportation (or
other federal or foreign authority) to carry people or
property by air in interstate or foreign commerce; and
(D) Containers designed for use on and component parts
attached or secured on the items described in (b)(viii)(A)
through (C) of this subsection (1). RCW 82.32.730 (8)(e).
(2) Local retail sales tax sourcing. This subsection
describes Washington's retail sales tax sourcing rules.
Subsection (2)(a) of this section lists the general sourcing
rules applicable to the sale of tangible personal property,
retail services, and extended warranties. Subsection (2)(b)
of this section provides special sourcing rules related to
certain "florist sales" and the sale of watercraft; mobile,
modular, and manufactured homes; and motor vehicles, trailers,
semi-trailers, and aircraft that do not qualify as
transportation equipment. Subsection (2)(c) of this section
addresses the sourcing rules applicable to leases of tangible
personal property.
(a) Sales of tangible personal property, retail services,
and extended warranties. This subsection describes the
sourcing rules applicable to the sale of tangible personal
property, retail services, and extended warranties.
These rules apply in a descending order of priority.
This means that the seller first should determine if (a)(i) of
this subsection (Rule 1 below) applies. If it does apply,
then the seller must source the sale under Rule 1. If Rule 1
does not apply, then the seller must source the sale to the
location required under sourcing Rule 2 (below), and so forth
until the applicable sourcing rule is determined.
If the seller ships or delivers tangible personal
property to a customer who receives that property outside
Washington, the sale is deemed to have taken place outside
Washington and is not subject to Washington state or local
retail sales tax.
The following rules apply when sourcing retail sales in
Washington:
(i) Rule 1: Seller's business location. If a purchaser
receives tangible personal property, a retail service, or an
extended warranty at the seller's business location, the sale
is sourced to that business location.
In the case of retail services, this sourcing rule will
generally apply where a purchaser receives retail services at
the seller's place of business, e.g., an auto repair shop, a
hotel or motel, a health club providing physical fitness
services, an auto parking service, a dry-cleaning service, and
a storage garage. While these types of retail services are
usually received at the seller's place of business, if
services are received at a location other than the seller's
place of business, then alternate sourcing rules will apply.
(A) Examples: Rule 1 - Tangible Personal Property.
(1) Bill, a Tacoma resident, travels to Renton and
purchases a ring from a jeweler located in Renton. Bill
receives the ring at the Renton location. The seller must
source the sale to the Renton location.
(2) Mary, a Walla Walla resident, buys a prewritten
software program from a store located in Cheney. Mary
receives a compact disc containing the software at the Cheney
location. The seller must source the sale to the Cheney
location.
(3) Trains, Inc., an Auburn business, buys a locomotive
that qualifies as transportation equipment. Trains, Inc.
receives the locomotive in Fife at the seller's place of
business. The seller must source the sale to the Fife
location.
(B) Examples: Rule 1 - Retail Services.
(1) Barbara, a Longview resident, takes her car to a
mechanic shop located in Centralia. The mechanic services the
car at the Centralia location. Several days later Barbara
picks up the car from the Centralia location. The services
are received in Centralia. The mechanic must source the sale
to the Centralia location.
(2) Rex, a Seattle resident, drops off a roll of film at
a photo developer located in Bellevue. Rex picks up the
developed film from the Bellevue location. The services are
received in Bellevue. The developer must source the sale to
the Bellevue location.
(3) Bob, a Pasco resident, takes shirts to a drycleaner
located in Kennewick. The drycleaner cleans and presses the
shirts. Bob then picks up the shirts in Kennewick the
following week. The services are received in Kennewick. The
seller must source the sale to the Kennewick location.
(C) Example: Rule 1 - Extended Warranties.
(1) Saffron, a Des Moines resident, buys a computer from
a Burien computer outlet. When purchasing the computer
Saffron also purchases and receives a five-year extended
warranty for the computer at the Burien outlet. The seller
must source the sale of the extended warranty and computer to
the Burien location.
(ii) Rule 2: Tangible personal property, retail
services, or extended warranties received at a location other
than the seller's place of business. If the purchaser
receives tangible personal property, retail services, or an
extended warranty at a location other than the seller's place
of business (and sourcing Rule 1 therefore does not apply),
then the sale must be sourced to the location where the
purchaser, or the purchaser's donee (e.g., a gift), receives
such property, retail service, or extended warranty. This
location can be a location indicated in instructions, known to
the seller, for delivery to the purchaser or donee.
Construction contractors, painters, plumbers, carpet
layers (retailers who install what they sell), earth movers,
and house wreckers are the types of retail service providers
that typically will source sales under this sourcing Rule 2
(presuming they provide their services at a location other
than their place of business).
(A) Examples: Rule 2 - Tangible Personal Property.
(1) Wade, a Seattle resident, buys furniture from a store
located in Everett. Wade has the furniture delivered to his
Seattle residence. Wade receives the furniture at his
location in Seattle. The seller must source the sale to
Wade's Seattle residence.
(2) Joanne, a Port Angeles business owner, purchases a
prewritten software program online from a store located in
Sequim. Joanne receives the software at her home address in
Port Angeles. The seller has information identifying the
location where the software is electronically received by
Joanne in Port Angeles. The seller must source the sale to
Joanne's Port Angeles home location.
(3) Jean, a Tumwater resident, buys prewritten software
to detect online security threats. The seller is a store
located in Bothell. As part of the purchase price, Jean
receives prewritten software updates. All software is
electronically delivered. The seller does not know where the
software is electronically delivered. However, the purchase
order discloses a ship-to address where the software will be
received in Tumwater. The seller must source the sale to
Jean's ship-to address as this address represents a delivery
location indicated in instructions for delivery to Jean. The
seller must source the sale to the Tumwater location according
to the ship-to address.
(4) Karl, a Spokane Valley resident, buys a mattress at a
store in Spokane. The merchant delivers the mattress from its
warehouse located in Deer Park to Karl's home in Spokane
Valley. Karl receives the mattress at his home location in
Spokane Valley. The seller must source the sale to the
Spokane Valley home location.
(5) George, an Olympia resident, orders a pizza from a
restaurant located in Tumwater. The restaurant obtains
George's Olympia address when taking the order. George
receives the pizza at the Olympia address. The seller must
source the sale to Olympia according to George's Olympia
address.
(6) Gunther, a Sumner resident, places an order for
towels with a catalog mail order outlet located in Tacoma.
The seller delivers the towels to Gunther's home at a Sumner
location from a warehouse in Fife. Gunther receives the
towels at the Sumner location. The seller must source the
sale to Gunther's Sumner home location.
(B) Examples: Rule 2 - Retail Services.
(1) Brett, a Tacoma resident, contracts with an Olympia
painting firm to have his house repainted. The Olympia firm
sends employees to Brett's home in Tacoma where they perform
the painting. Brett receives the painting services at his
home in Tacoma. The painting firm must source the sale of
painting services to Brett's Tacoma home location.
(2) Julie, an Aberdeen resident, hires a construction
contractor to build a new business facility in Kelso. Julie
receives the construction services at the Kelso location. The
contractor must source the services to the Kelso construction
location.
(3) Gabe, a Shoreline resident, sends a clock to a repair
business located in Auburn. The business repairs the clock
and then delivers the clock to Gabe's home in Shoreline. Gabe
receives the services at the Shoreline location. The repair
service must source the sale to Gabe's Shoreline home
location.
(C) Example: Rule 2 - Extended Warranties.
(1) Tara, a Chelan resident, buys a computer over the
internet. The retailer offers a five year extended warranty.
Tara decides to purchase the extended warranty and sends the
seller the appropriate paperwork. The seller then sends the
extended warranty documents to Tara's home in Chelan. The
sale of the extended warranty is sourced to the Chelan home
location where Tara receives the warranty documents.
(D) Additional Examples: Rule 2 - Delivery Outside
Washington, Gifts, and Receipt by a Shipping Company.
(1) Alan, a Spokane resident, buys a mattress at a store
in Spokane. The merchant delivers the mattress from its
warehouse located in Deer Park to Alan's vacation home in
Idaho. The mattress was received outside of Washington and is
not subject to Washington state and local sales tax. The
seller does not source the sale to Washington.
(2) Sandra, a Vancouver, Washington resident, buys a
computer online from a merchant in Seattle. The computer is a
gift for Tim, a student attending college in Pullman. The
purchaser directs the seller to ship the computer to Tim's
home address in Pullman. Tim receives the computer at the
Pullman location. The merchant will source the sale based on
the ship-to address in Pullman.
(3) Martha, a Wenatchee resident, travels to a gift shop
in Leavenworth. Martha buys five (5) items for herself and
five (5) gifts for friends. Martha takes possession of the
five (5) items for herself at the gift shop. Martha then has
the gift shop deliver the five (5) gifts to addresses located
in Wenatchee. The seller will source the sale of the five (5)
items purchased by Martha for herself to Leavenworth. The
seller must source the five (5) gifts to Wenatchee according
to the ship-to address where each donee receives its gift.
(4) Sheila, a Yakima resident, buys equipment from a
Pasco retailer. Sheila arranges to have a shipping company
pick up the equipment and deliver that equipment to Sheila in
Yakima. In the purchase order Sheila notifies the seller that
the equipment will be received at a ship-to address in Yakima.
Tangible personal property is not considered received at the
seller's place of business in cases where the purchaser
arranges to have the goods picked up by a shipping company on
its behalf. The seller must source this sale to Sheila's
ship-to Yakima location where the equipment is received.
(iii) Rule 3: Purchaser's address maintained in the
seller's ordinary business records. If neither sourcing Rule
1 nor Rule 2 apply, a retail sale is sourced to the
purchaser's address as indicated in the seller's records
maintained in the ordinary course of the seller's business,
provided use of this address does not constitute bad faith.
Example - Rule 3.
(1) Shannon buys prewritten software from a Bellevue
seller by downloading the software from the seller's web site.
Shannon's location is unknown at the time of sale. However,
the seller maintains a Seabeck address for Shannon in its
business records. Because Shannon does not receive the
software at the seller's place of business and the location of
receipt is unknown, sourcing Rules 1 and 2 do not apply. The
seller must source the sale to the address maintained in its
ordinary business records for Shannon (the Seabeck address).
(iv) Rule 4: Purchaser's address obtained at the
consummation of sale. If any of sourcing Rules 1 through 3 do
not apply, the sale is sourced to the purchaser's address
obtained during the consummation of sale. If no other address
is available, this address may be the address included on the
purchaser's payment instrument (e.g., check, credit card, or
money order), provided use of this address does not constitute
bad faith.
Example - Rule 4.
(1) Eric buys prewritten software over the internet from
a retail outlet located on Vashon Island. The seller
transmits the prewritten software to an e-mail address
designated by Eric. The e-mail address does not disclose
Eric's location. Eric pays for the software by credit card.
When entering the relevant credit card information, Eric
discloses a residential address in Port Angeles to which the
credit card is billed. Sourcing Rules 1 and 2 do not apply
because Eric does not receive the software at the seller's
business location and the seller does not know where the
software is being received. Sourcing Rule 3 does not apply
because the retail outlet does not have Eric's address on file
in its ordinary business records. Therefore, the retail
outlet must source the sale to the address related to the
customer's credit card information given during the
consummation of the sale. The retail outlet must source the
sale to Eric's Port Angeles location.
(v) Rule 5: Origin sourcing default rule. If a seller
is unable to source a sale under any of the sourcing Rules 1
through 4 above, or the seller has insufficient information to
apply those rules, the default origin sourcing rule applies.
Subsection (2)(b)(v)(A) through (C) of this section describes
sourcing Rule 5 as it applies to the sale of tangible personal
property, retail services, and extended warranties.
(A) Origin sourcing: Tangible personal property. If any
of sourcing Rules 1 through 4 do not apply, the seller must
source sales of tangible personal property to the address from
which the property was shipped.
(B) Origin sourcing: Electronically delivered prewritten
software. If any of the sourcing Rules 1 through 4 do not
apply, the seller must source sales of electronically
delivered prewritten computer software to the address location
from which the computer software was first available for
transmission by the seller. Locations that merely provide for
the transfer of computer software are not address locations
from which the computer software is first available for
transmission.
(C) Origin sourcing: Retail services and extended
warranties. If any of sourcing Rules 1 through 4 do not
apply, the seller must source retail services and extended
warranties to the address from which it provides the service
or warranty.
(D) Examples: Rule 5 - Prewritten Software.
(1) Rebecca purchases prewritten computer software
electronically and requests that the software be delivered to
a specified e-mail address. The seller operates from a retail
store located in Tacoma. The seller does not know the
location where the software will be received and further does
not have information about Rebecca's location in its ordinary
business records. Additionally, Rebecca does not supply the
seller with address information during the consummation of the
sale. Thus, none of sourcing Rules 1 through 4 apply. This
sale must be sourced under the default sourcing rule. The
seller first made the prewritten software available for
transmission at its Tacoma location. The seller will source
the sale to that Tacoma location from which the prewritten
software was first available for transmission. This result
will not change if the software is routed from a Tacoma server
through a second server (either operated by the seller or some
third party) located outside of the Tacoma location. Routing
as used in this context refers to the transfer of prewritten
software from one location to another location for
retransmission to a final destination, and does not include
transfers to another location where additional services or
products may be added.
(2) Assume the facts in Example (1) directly above,
except that Rebecca's order is submitted to the Tacoma
location and the prewritten software is first available for
transmission from a Bellevue location. The seller will source
the sale to the Bellevue location.
(b) Special sourcing rule: Florist sales and sales of
watercraft; modular, mobile, and manufactured homes; and motor
vehicles, trailers, semi-trailers, and aircraft that do not
qualify as transportation equipment. If you are a "florist"
making sales or you are making a retail sale of watercraft;
modular, mobile, or manufactured homes; or motor vehicles,
trailers, semi-trailers, and aircraft that do not qualify as
transportation equipment (excluding leases and rentals), you
must source the sale to the location at or from which delivery
is made. For specific information concerning "florist sales,"
who qualifies as a "florist," and the related sourcing rules
see RCW 82.32.730 (6)(d) and (8)(c) as amended by Senate Bill
No. 6799, chapter 324, Laws of 2008.
When the sale of goods is delivered into Washington from
a point outside the state and a local in-state facility,
office, outlet, agent or other representative (even though not
formally characterized as a "salesperson") of the seller
participates in the transaction in some way, such as by taking
the order, then the location of the local facility, etc., will
determine the place of sale for purposes of the local sales
tax. However, if the seller, the seller's agent or the
seller's representative maintains no local in-state facility,
office, outlet or residence from which business in some manner
is conducted, the local tax must be determined by the location
of the customer.
Example: Special Sourcing Rule.
(1) Ben, a Federal Way purchaser, buys a car from a
dealer in Fife. The customer has the option of picking up the
car on the lot in Fife or having it delivered to his
residential address in Federal Way. Ben asks to have the car
delivered to the Federal Way location. The dealer must source
the sale of the car to the dealer's location in Fife from
which the car was delivered.
(c) Leases of tangible personal property. "Lease" and
"rental" mean any transfer of possession or control of
tangible personal property for a fixed or indeterminate term
for consideration. For more information concerning "leases"
and "rentals" see RCW 82.04.040. The terms "lease" and
"rental" are used interchangeably throughout this subsection
(2)(c). This subsection (2)(c) provides local retail sales
tax sourcing guidance for lessors who lease tangible personal
property.
(i) How do I source lease payments attributable to the
lease of transportation equipment? If you are leasing
transportation equipment, you must source the lease payments
attributable to that transportation equipment under sourcing
Rules 1 through 5 above as a retail sale. See subsection
(1)(b)(viii) of this section for a description of
transportation equipment.
(ii) How should I source lease payments attributable to
the lease of motor vehicles, trailers, semi-trailers, and
aircraft that do not qualify as transportation equipment? If
you are leasing a motor vehicle, trailer, semi-trailer, or
aircraft that does not qualify as transportation equipment,
you must source the lease payments under this subsection
(2)(c)(ii).
(A) Leases that require recurring periodic payments. If
the lease requires recurring periodic payments, you must
source each periodic payment to the primary property location
of the leased property. See subsection (1)(b)(vii) of this
section for a description of primary property location. The
primary property location will not change by intermittent use
of the leased property in different jurisdictions, e.g., use
of leased business property on business trips or service calls
to multiple local jurisdictions.
(B) Leases that do not require recurring periodic
payments. If the lease does not require recurring periodic
payments, you must source the single lease payment under
sourcing Rules 1 through 5 above as a retail sale.
(C) Examples:
(1) Rich, a Fall City customer, leases a car from a
dealer in Duvall. Rich leases the car for a period of one
year. The car does not qualify as transportation equipment.
Rich provides the dealer with his residential address in Fall
City where he keeps the car. Rich makes monthly periodic
payments throughout the term of the lease. Rich indicates the
primary property location for the car is his residence in Fall
City. The Fall City location is recorded in the store's
business records. The periodic lease payments will be sourced
to the residential primary property location in Fall City. If
Rich were to move to Seattle during the term of the lease and
notify the dealer of a change in the car's primary property
location, the dealer would source any lease payments
subsequent to that change in primary property location to
Seattle.
(2) Amanda, a Tacoma business owner, rents a trailer for
a period of one week and no periodic payments are required
under the lease. The trailer does not qualify as
transportation equipment. Amanda receives the trailer at a
business location in Tacoma. The seller will source the sale
to the Tacoma business location.
(iii) How do I source lease payments for all other
tangible personal property? If you lease tangible personal
property not described in subsection (2)(c)(i) or (ii) of this
section, you must source your lease payments under this
subsection (2)(c)(iii).
(A) Lease that requires recurring periodic payments. If
the lease requires recurring periodic payments, you must
source the first periodic payment on that lease under sourcing
Rules 1 through 5 as a retail sale. You must then source all
subsequent periodic payments to the primary property location
for each period covered by such periodic payments. See
subsection (1)(b)(vii) of this section for a description of
primary property location. The primary property location will
not change by intermittent use of the leased property in
different local jurisdictions, e.g., use of leased business
property on business trips or service calls to multiple local
jurisdictions.
(B) Leases that do not require recurring periodic
payments. If the lease does not require recurring periodic
payments, you must source the single payment under sourcing
Rules 1 through 5 as a retail sale.
(C) Examples:
(1) Mark, a Gig Harbor resident, leases furniture from a
store in Bremerton. The furniture will be leased for twelve
months. The store delivers the furniture to Mark's home
address in Gig Harbor. Mark indicates the primary property
location for the equipment is his home address in Gig Harbor.
The Gig Harbor location is recorded in the store's business
records. The customer makes monthly periodic payments for the
term of the lease. The first periodic payment must be sourced
to Gig Harbor where Mark receives the furniture. The store
must then source all subsequent periodic payments to Gig
Harbor, which represents the primary property location
recorded in the store's ordinary business records.
(2) Brad, a Pasco business owner, leases furniture from a
store in Spokane. Brad picks up the furniture in Spokane and
makes the initial periodic payment on the lease. The
furniture is leased for a period of twelve months. Brad
indicates the primary property location for the equipment is a
business address in Pasco. The Pasco location is recorded in
the store's business records. Brad then makes monthly
periodic payments for the term of the lease. The first
periodic payment must be sourced to Spokane where Brad
received the furniture. The store must source the subsequent
periodic payments to the Pasco primary property location.
(3) Alison, a Seattle business owner, leases equipment
from a store in Issaquah. Alison picks up the equipment in
Issaquah and makes an initial periodic payment on the lease.
The equipment is used in work primarily performed in
Washington, but the equipment is also taken out intermittently
on a number of service calls made in Oregon. Alison indicates
the primary property location for the equipment is a business
address in Seattle. The Seattle location is recorded in the
store's business records. The equipment is leased for a
period of one year. Alison makes monthly periodic payments
for the term of the lease. The first periodic payment must be
sourced to Issaquah where the equipment is received. The
store must source the subsequent periodic payments to Seattle,
which represents the primary property location. Alison's
intermittent use of the equipment in other jurisdictions does
not change the primary property location of the equipment.
(4) Amelia, a Pasco business owner, leases equipment from
a store located in Pasco. Amelia picks up the equipment in
Pasco, making an initial periodic payment on the lease. The
lease is for a period of one year. During the first six
months of the lease, Amelia indicates the primary property
location for the equipment is a business address in Walla
Walla. For the second six months of the lease, Amelia
indicates the primary property location is a business address
in Leavenworth. The store records the primary property
locations in its business records. The store must source the
initial periodic payment to Pasco where Amelia received the
equipment. The store must source all other periodic lease
payments covering the first six months of the lease to the
primary property location recorded for Walla Walla. The store
must source those periodic lease payments covering the last
six months of the lease to the primary property location in
Leavenworth.
(5) Brian, a North Bend business owner, rents a backhoe
from Construction Rentals located in Lynnwood. The lease
period is 45 days and the lease requires a single lease
payment. Brian pays the entire lease amount at the time of
pickup. The customer picks up the equipment in Lynnwood and
takes it to a job site in DuPont. Construction Rentals must
source the sale to the location in Lynnwood where Brian
receives the backhoe.
(6) Lisa, an Olympia business owner, rents a pressure
washer from Rental Co. located in Lacey. The rental period is
one day and no periodic payments are required under the lease.
Lisa picks up the equipment in Lacey and takes it to a job
site in Yelm. Sales tax is sourced to the seller's location
in Lacey. If Rental Co. delivered the pressure washer
directly to Lisa at the job site in Yelm, the sale would have
been sourced to the location of the job site in Yelm.
(3) Telecommunications services.
Where can I find information related to the sourcing and
sale of telecommunication services? Sales of
telecommunication services and ancillary services are defined
as retail sales in RCW 82.04.050. Sellers must source these
services under the sourcing provisions located in RCW 82.32.520. See RCW 82.04.065 for more information about
telecommunication services and ancillary services.
(4) Use tax. How is use tax sourced in Washington?
Where a seller does not have an obligation to collect
Washington sales tax, the tangible personal property or
service sold by that person may be subject to use tax under
chapter 82.12 RCW et seq. This use tax is sourced to the
place of first use and is payable by the purchaser. The
seller may be required to collect use tax pursuant to the
requirements of RCW 82.12.040.
[Statutory Authority: RCW 82.32.300 and 82.01.060(2). 08-12-035, § 458-20-145, filed 5/30/08, effective 6/30/08. Statutory Authority: RCW 82.32.300. 83-07-032 (Order ET
83-15), § 458-20-145, filed 3/15/83; Order ET 75-1, §
458-20-145, filed 5/2/75; Order ET 70-3, § 458-20-145 (Rule
145), filed 5/29/70, effective 7/1/70.]